Controversial regent and higher ed reform advocate team up in PAC

University of Texas regent Wallace Hall, who is being investigated by a Texas House Select Committee for possible impeachment, contributed $100,000 to a new political action committee on September 27 — the same day higher ed reform advocate and Gov. Rick Perry adviser Jeff Sandefer contributed $200,000.

Hall has been embroiled in political controversy since his appointment by Perry in 2011 to the UT board for conducting what some lawmakers have called a “witch hunt” against UT President William C. Powers. Perry has pressured his university regents to adopt ideas advocated by Sandefer, who authored what he calls “Seven Solutions” for higher education reform that many believe undermine university research in an effort to produce cost savings.

Next week, the Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations will hear testimony on complaints that Hall abused his power as a regent in demanding excessive access to university records, including private employee and student information.

According to records filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, Accountability First was started in February, 2013. Sandefer was an early contributor, along with Rex Gore, the founder of an online Austin college, Peloton U. This spring, the PAC’s only political contributions were made in opposition to local school bond elections in Tyler, Huntsville and Weatherford.

But on September 27, Hall and Sandefer upped the pac’s account balance tenfold: previously, it has never received more than $30,000 in a single reporting period.

We’ve reached out to Hall and Sandefer to find out the purpose of the pac and will update as information becomes available.